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Michael Finley. Finley single-handedly kept the Mavs in the game while his teammates stank in the first half, and then was awesome in leading them back. He finished with 31 points and eight boards, making all 12 of his foul shots and shooting 9-of-14 from the floor. Plus, his inspired defense included five steals and two blocks. |
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Tony Parker. San Antonio's point guard is its barometer. The team is unbeatable when Parker scores 20, like he did in Games 3 and 4. But if he scores six on 3-of-11 shooting, as he did in Game 5, that makes the Spurs team very vulnerable -- especially when he becomes one of many Spurs reluctant to pull the trigger. |
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Van Exel steals it. Twice in the Mavs' second-half comeback, the Spurs threw a lazy inbounds pass that was picked off. On the second, Tony Parker had no idea Nick Van Exel was racing in to swipe it, and Van Exel went on the floor to complete the steal. The play symbolized the energy and hustle that fueled the Mavs' rally. |
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And Dirk's decision is too. It was easy to rule Dirk Nowitzki out of Game 5, with the Mavericks facing long odds anyway. But Dallas unexpectedly has to make a decision on whether Nowitzki plays Game 6, and it will be an intriguing one. Can a half-healthy Dirk keep Dallas alive another day? Stay tuned... |
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Photo Credits: Finley and Parker (Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images), Van Exel (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images), Nowitzki (Glenn James/NBAE/Getty Images) |
